The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station. (Image: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission)
The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station remains offline after a mechanical issue involving a piece of equipment which supports the turbine system.
A spokesperson for NB Power said the facility was taken offline on the weekend of Jan. 16-17 as a result of the issue.
Marc Belliveau said the issue affected the non-nuclear side of the plant and posed no risk to employees, the public or the environment.
“The equipment has been repaired and work is underway to perform the pre-requisite activities to reconnect the plant to the grid over the next few days,” Belliveau said in an email Friday.
Belliveau said work was performed on the affected equipment during a planned maintenance outage last fall.
The station was taken offline on Sept. 4 and was reconnected to the grid on Nov. 5.
Prior to the planned maintenance outage, the station marked 417 days online — the longest continuous plant operation between outages since 1994.
Belliveau said it is too early to say how the mechanical issue will impact the utility financially, but they continue to project positive year-end earnings.
“Lepreau’s energy is being replaced primarily through purchases, which are based on daily market prices,” he said. “Market prices are favourable right now due to warmer-than-usual weather for this time of year.”
Follow
